Opinion | How “Schitt’s Creek” changed my view on current sitcoms

Megan Forrester
Freshman communication studies major

Well, Schitt.

I tend to repeat that and every other clever one-liner from the television series “Schitt’s Creek” any chance I get these days. But the problem is, most people I’ve met in college so far give a look of confusion or shrug whenever I reference this award-winning show. But my favorite people to discuss this show – a show about a dysfunctional family – is my semi-dysfunctional family.

While I tend to be disappointed that my friends have no desire to watch “Schitt’s Creek,” for the most part I’m not surprised – I was in that same boat up until a few months ago. I couldn’t care less about starting a new sitcom. This wasn’t due to the crass title or the plot about a snobby family moving to a town in the middle of nowhere because they were suddenly broke. It was because I believed that any sitcom made after the ‘90s was a complete waste of my time. I thought I had already found the gems of television.

I would only watch three shows: “Friends,” “Frasier” and “Seinfeld.” That was what I believed to be the trifecta of comedic television and nobody could change my mind. Whenever I attempted to sit through a new show, I would be unimpressed by the plot and the jokes never had the pizzazz to make me audibly laugh out loud. That is, until I found “Schitt’s Creek.”

My family and I began watching season one when, like always, we were bored out of our minds. But instead of flicking it off and putting on an episode of one of our tried-and-true shows, we decided to push through it. “It has to get better eventually,” we would repeat under our breath. And oh yes, it did.

In case you don’t know, “Schitt’s Creek” is about the Rose family, who owned a video-store company and realized they no longer have the funds to continue their lavish lifestyle. The only asset they have left is the deed to the town, Schitt’s Creek, which was purchased years earlier by the father as a joke to his son. Having moved into the local motel in Schitt’s Creek, the Rose family attempts to piece their lives back together while making connections with locals along the way. After five seasons, they find a home in Schitt’s Creek and strengthen their ties as a family.

So why after all these years was I finally thrilled to watch a series that I enjoyed, one that was made in the 21st century? Well to put it simply, it’s the aspect of family. 

My family, tres amigos, three musketeers; whatever you want to call it, my family is basically the one very true constant in my life. I also resonate with the claim that the word “family” is not only reserved for relatives. I have met many people through random situations that ended up becoming a part of my “family.” Granted, I have never lived in a motel with my family, but the essence of the show is still the same: that the most important asset in life is not money or popularity, it’s family and creating relationships that make you a stronger person. That’s why I love this quirky series so much.

There may be a few more questions lingering so I’ll address them now. Will I still be in doubt every time I start a new show? Yes. Will I probably go back to those ‘90s sitcoms that I hold so dearly to my heart? Definitely. But, will I try to venture out of my television comfort-zone more often? 100 percent. And finally, the question that holds the most importance: will I still continue to recite lines from “Schitt’s Creek” with my friends and family? You know it.